CEO Scott Blackmun sent the letter, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press, on Thursday, the day after Maroney filed a lawsuit seeking to invalidate the nondisclosure clauses in the settlement.

The USOC is named as a defendant, and the lawsuit says the federation had a culture that concealed known and suspected sex abusers.

In the letter, Blackmun said “I am so sorry that the Olympic family failed these athletes,” and that while the USOC found out too late, it has taken steps to prevent future abuse by creating the U.S. Center for SafeSport, which investigates sex-abuse allegations in Olympic sports.